Medical leads, such as cardiac leads, have a distal end having one or more electrodes and a proximal end having a terminal which is coupled to a pulse generator. Sometimes, subcutaneous tunneling is required to implant the lead. For example, subcutaneous tunneling of the lead can be needed during implantation of epicardial leads, nerve or muscle stimulation leads, or cardiac leads with the pulse generator implanted abdominally. Subcutaneous tunneling is done using a tunneling tool which includes an elongated rod that is inserted through the subcutaneous tissue. After the rod is inserted, a lead terminal holder is attached to the tip of the rod and the lead terminal is attached to the terminal holder. Then the rod is pulled back through the subcutaneous tissue to bring the lead terminal through the tissue to the pulse generator. Subcutaneous lead tunneling can result in high forces on the lead as it is being pulled through the subcutaneous tissue.